Networks

Networks

1. Disadvantages

   • Cost
     • Networks are expensive to set up.
   • Increased risk
     • Problems such as viruses can affect every computer on the Network
   • Difficulty
     • Expertise is needed to set up and maintain a Network

2. Types of Network

   • LAN
     • Local Area Network
       • A network in a small area or single organisation
   • WAN
     • Wide Area Network
       • A network that spans a large area or multiple organisations

3. Advantages

   • Share files
     • So the same files are available to whichever computer you use.
   • Share resources
     • Such as printers and internet connection.
   • Share logins
     • So the same username and password can be used on every computer on the Network

4. Topology

   • Bus
     • Advantages
       • Cheap to install
     • Disadvantages
       • High chance of catastrophic failure
       • Lots of collisions
       • slows down when more computers areadded
   • Ring
     • Advantages
       • Cheap to install
       • No collisions
     • Disadadvanges
       • High chance of catastrophic failure
       • Difficult to expand
   • Star
     • Advantages
       • Low chance of failure
       • No collisions (fast)
     • Disadvantages
       • Expensive
       • Depends on a switch

5. IP address

   • The internet is a huge network with more devices than its possible to assign a unique address to.
   • Unique addresses are assigned to businesses and houses.
   • These houses and businesses run their own mini-network inside with different IP addresses
   • An IP address is a unique value assigned to every computer on a Network, used to identify it.
   • Messages on a Network have an IP address attached, which is how a computer knows whether or not to keep the message.